Every month, the average American parent spends almost 24 hours cleaning and doing housework. It won’t come as a surprise, therefore, to learn that more than three-quarters of people say that the excessive amount of time they spend cleaning means that they miss out on quality family time.

If you are struggling not only to stay on top of your house cleaning duties but also find that they are taking up too much of your precious time, this blog post is for you. Here, your expert team at Two Gals & A Broom will highlight effective house cleaning rhythms that will help you to clean your house more effectively and efficiently.

Doing a little bit each day will help you to stay on top of everything and avoid losing a whole day to cleaning every now and then. Proper house cleaning routines will also allow you to keep your house looking great—avoiding any potentially embarrassing situations when friends or family pay a surprise visit. Let’s get started!

Monday: Focus on the Bathrooms

The celebrated writer Mark Twain once remarked that if it is your job to eat a frog each day (certainly an unpleasant task), it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. That is to say: get it over and done with early! Therefore, we recommend that you focus on your bathroom each Monday, so you can get it out of the way.

Before you start, you should know exactly what you are going to do and have all of your equipment ready. This is key to developing an effective cleaning rhythm. Some bathroom cleaning steps include:

Remove all items from their usual spots
Dust and sweep
Apply cleaner to the bathtub and shower
Wipe down all surfaces
Clean the toilet
Clean the vanity area
Mop the floor using an all-purpose cleaner

Finally, ensure that there is a fresh hand towel and that the toilet paper rolls are stocked.

Tuesday: Scrub the Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of a home and one of its most high-traffic areas. Given that it is where people cook and eat, it is essential that hygiene and cleanliness are kept high at all times. The following steps will help you develop a proper kitchen cleaning routine:

Clear clutter off the counters
Dust the tops of cabinets and the fridge
Empty the dishwasher and wash pots and pans
Clean small appliances
Scrub down the outside of the oven and stove
Deep clean the sink
Clear out the fridge
Wipe down the counters
Empty the garbage can
Sweep/vacuum/mop the floors
Clean the outside of larger appliances

There are a lot of steps to cleaning a kitchen, but when these are done on a regular basis (such as weekly), it won’t take much time to complete. Avoiding cleaning a kitchen for several weeks will result in a lot more work when you do get around to cleaning it.

Wednesday: Vacuum and Dust Common Areas

Regular dusting and vacuuming aren’t just important for aesthetic reasons, it’s also essential for the health of the people who live in a house. Dust—tiny particles of dead skin, debris, and chemicals from household products—can potentially evoke an immune reaction when inhaled and can cause respiratory and cardiovascular health problems. Depending on a person’s asthma exacerbation, inhaling dust could even be life-threatening.

Regular vacuuming and dusting leads to improved home hygiene and better physical health, prevents mold growth, eliminations infestations of dust mites, and helps to improve sleep.

It’s not just the floors that need attention, either. Pay close attention to ceiling fans, blinds, and any cobwebs that may be present in the corners of rooms.

Thursday: Tidy Bedrooms

Our bedrooms are like sanctuaries, so it’s important to keep them clean and tidy. The following steps will help you to develop an effective rhythm that makes cleaning your bedroom easy (and even enjoyable!):

Take out the trash
Pick up dirty clothes
Tidy away clean clothes
Strip the bed for washing and add clean bed sheets
Clear surface clutter
Wipe surfaces clean
Dust light fixtures and curtains
Wipe down mirrors and windows
Sweep and/or vacuum

If, during your cleaning, you find any items that don’t have a place in your bedroom, don’t hesitate to throw them away. Avoiding clutter will make it easier to keep your bedroom tidy.

Friday: Stay On Top of Clutter

Heading into the weekend, your house cleaning routine should allow you to relax and enjoy your time off. Over the weekend, it’s worth staying on top of things so that your workload for the rest of the week will be more manageable.

Avoid allowing dishes in the kitchen to pile up and do your best to keep clutter throughout the house to a minimum. Daily sweeping in high-traffic areas and routine cleaning of countertops is also recommended.